Esmeray stays in her chambers for days, refusing to see anyone or eat. Eliza tries her best to convince her to come out, but she remains unresponsive.
Xerxes, on the other hand, throws himself into his duties, trying to distract himself from the guilt and regret consuming him. But at night, he finds himself standing outside Esmeray's door, listening to the silence within.
One evening, as he stands there once again, he hears a soft sniffle from inside. His heart clenches painfully, and without thinking, he reaches for the handle.
The door creaks open slowly, revealing Esmeray curled up on the bed, her face buried in a pillow. She looks up at him with redrimmed eyes and a tearstained face.
"Why are you here?" she asks quietly, her voice hoarse from disuse."I" he wants to confess an apology but instead he says "I will be gone for a few days...I managed to find more information about the tax collectors. Tomorrow I will confront, in the presence of the King."
Esmeray looks away, a small release of stress leaving her body. Hopefully from now on the people can live better, with more stability "if that's all please leave "Xerxes nods, his shoulders sagging slightly. He knows he deserves her coldness, her dismissal. But it doesn't make it any easier to bare.
"I'll be back in a few days," he says softly, lingering for a moment longer than necessary. "Take care of yourself, Esmeray."
She doesn't respond, turning away from him and burying herself deeper into the pillows. Xerxes' heart aches at the sight, but he knows he has no right to comfort her.
With a heavy sigh, he exits the room and closes the door quietly behind him.Days turn into weeks, and Xerxes' absence stretches on. Esmeray throws herself into her duties, trying to distract herself from the constant ache in her chest. But at night, when she's alone with her thoughts, the pain comes rushing back.
She finds herself wondering if Xerxes is safe, if he's thinking of her. She hates herself for caring.
But why? Why should he be the only one to have fun? Why can't she do it too? That night while everyone slept she sneaked away pass the gaurds, pass the crowds of people in the city, making her way into a small camp where Zaiden has been staying.
Esmeray's heart races as she slips into Zaiden's tent, the adrenaline pumping through her veins.
The tent is dark, the only light coming from a small lantern casting shadows on the walls. Esmeray sees Zaiden lying on a bed of furs, his chest rising and falling with each breath.
She hesitates for a moment, suddenly unsure. But then Zaiden stirs, his eyes fluttering open. He stares at her for a long moment, disbelief and hope warring in his gaze.
"Esmeray?" he whispers hoarsely. "Is it really you?"
"What are you doing here?" He asks making his way to her
"Zai make me yours please " she looks up at him desire flowing in ger veins, maybe she is mistaking the pain for desire. Whatever it is, she wants to feel good, and Zaiden is the only one who can make her forget her problems
"Esmeray," he murmurs, pulling her into his arms. "Are you sure about this?"
She nods frantically, pressing herself against him. "Please, Zaiden. I need you."
That's all the encouragement he needs. Zaiden captures her lips in a fierce kiss, pouring all his pentup desire and love into it.
He lays her down on the furs, his hands roaming over her body possessively. "You're mine," he growls against her skin. "Tonight, you're all mine."
Esmeray arches into his touch, a moan escaping her lips.Zaiden has a way of making Esmeray feel so many emotions at the same time. Compared to Xerxes who is gentle with her Zaiden is rough, at times but she likes that.
She doesn't need to tell him what she wants, where to kiss, there is no need to repeat her words. No, because he already knows what she wants, he knows where to kiss and how to fuck her. He knows the rhythm she likes. He knows how to make her feel good, how to make her float above the galaxies. Zaiden doesn't need to tease her, he doesn't need to whisper words in her ears to turn her on, he doesn't need to hear her say how much she wants him. Her body does all the talking, her body does all the commanding he is just a vessel for her.
Their connection is one that transcends the physical, a bond forged in the depths of their souls. They understand each other on a level that no words can express, communicating through touch and gaze alone.
Zaiden knows Esmeray's body like he knows his own, every curve, every sensitive spot. He can read her desires without her having to voice them, anticipating her needs before she even realizes them herself.
Their lovemaking is a dance as old as time, a primal rhythm that speaks to the very core of their beings.
Zaiden's roughness is a balm to Esmeray's soul, shattering the walls she's built around herself and leaving her raw and exposed.