Eleutheria

XXVII

XXVII

Waking up that morning was sweet and slow. Erasmos took his time gently bringing Hypatia back to consciousness with a soft touch and a sweet pleasure. She came to with a soft moan as she felt his tongue lazily moving over her. As he noticed her awakening, the pressure in his touch and intimate kiss increased a bit, having her back arch.

“Good morning,” Erasmos said, lifting his head but keeping his fingers moving.

She made some lazy sound in her throat that could have been agreement as her hands moved through his hair as her legs rubbed along his side. It wasn't the first time he had woken her up like this since she had been called down to the council seats. It was his way of celebrating with her the realization of her goals and plans.

Today, besides some basic city related business, they would drawing for weapons. There were only two days worth of fights in this round and the ending being so close made the entire city that much more excited. It also meant that there was more time between fights.

As Erasmos continued kissing her body, Hypatia let her fingers move down and caress gently the two wounds on his back. After a few weeks of healing, they were finally closing up. The skin around the area was red and taught as it pulled together. It wasn't nearly as healed as it would be if they could afford to have him not train as hard as he was.

Erasmos brought her to release with only his tongue and fingers before lifting his body up and joining it together with hers. Hypatia let out another moan as she rocked against him, holding him close as he bent down and kissed her gently.

“Tell me you need me,” he said softly as his fingers worked along her body.

“I don't need you,” she responded, grabbing him by the face and looking him into his eyes. “But I want you. I want only you.”

Erasmos groaned, pleased with the answer, as he pressed his lips back to hers.

XXXXXX

“Lift your right arm and check your stance,” Sostias commanded as Pammon and Erasmos exchanged blows with their bare hands. They were running out of weapons to work with and Sostias demanded that they see just how good Erasmos was without one.

Hypatia had considered going to the drawing today but changed her mind. Her mother had promised to bring home the decision once it was made, she was focusing on training. At this late in the games, she wasn't the only person to do so. She had already heard – through Charmides – that Dymas and Loxias were also staying home.

Hypatia had earned her voice so she had gotten what she wanted. But now that she was this close, she wasn't going to give up. She had victory in her sights now, the wish was dangling in front of her so temptingly. Not to mention that she still intended on giving Erasmos his freedom and winning her own from Loxias.

Ever since Hypatia had been called down to join the council, invitations to various gatherings and parties from other highborns had been coming in. It wasn't just the usual invitation that was for the family or her father. These invitations were addressed specifically to her. People who saw her now realized that she had the potential to be powerful and it was their intention to get as close to her as was possible in case she became so.

Hypatia assigned Hebe to deal with such things. She would accept a few – she couldn't avoid socializing with the court forever – but she wouldn't go to them all, and she didn't want to deal with the hassle of politely refusing them.

Her lady's maid was doing that right now in between assisting Sostias, her self-chosen task that Hypatia hadn't assigned her to perform, but didn't mind letting her do. Chara was training Pammon's daughters in how to be proper ladies and all were off cleaning Hypatia's wing of the villa at the moment, which left Eutropia to handle everything else around the courtyard.