Love Letter To My Conqueror
Emilia is my conqueror, and I love her for it.
And she's just gotten married.
Don't get the wrong idea: I've been perfectly composed, ever since receiving the invitation to hers and Paolo's wedding. It's been four years since the last sidelong glances we've shared, the quiet whispers, the tender foot massages I offered Emilia in a dark room while she contemplated me and talked about the future.
I know she's not interested in me anymore, and just because I can't get over my love for her, that shouldn't ruin the atmosphere of her wedding. It was my problem, not hers.
So I bravely sat and stood through it all, smiling and cheering and laughing, even though my heart broke a little every time. Seeing her in person again was harder than expected.
That clever twinkle in her eyes, that smile that lights up a room... I love it, but it's a cruel, cruel smile. Fittingly so, for a cruel conqueror.
The hardest part wasn't even the wedding. It was being a guest in their new home for a few days, watching the preparations at a remove, like looking through a glass at the life I could have had. Each time after dinner, I would wish them both a good night, and then go lie in bed, staring at the ceiling.
Never have I felt more alone, or emptier, than in those moments. I might as well have been drifting in dark space, in-between galaxies, for how disconnected I felt from the warmth and love I craved so desperately.
But now, the wedding's done, and my bags are almost packed. I consider the future as the pale light of dawn filters through the window. I'll pack everything while the newlyweds still sleep, then leave immediately after breakfast, to minimise further interactions. I'm going to miss Emilia terribly, but I'll soon be on my way back home.
I'll take the time to have a proper cry, maybe take a sick day, and then I'll be back on track, such as it is. A less-than-cozy apartment, the less-than-stellar diner I inherited from my folks, and lots of Netflix.
Not the most glamorous life, but one that keeps me afloat and dulls the senses, and to be honest, that's more than enough.
I'm crouching on the ground and silently struggling with the zip on my luggage when Emilia steps into the room, without knocking. I'm surprised she's up so early. I look up at her, fighting the lump in my throat.
She's wearing baggy pajamas with kitten paws printed on pink, and her red mane is loose, draping her shoulders. She looks down at me with a raised eyebrow, then sits down on to the bed behind me.
"I've missed you, Rob."
"Me too, Emilia," I say, keeping my back to her as I fumble with the bag. "We should do this again some time." We totally shouldn't, and I have no intention of acting upon my words, but she doesn't need to know that.
"Totally. We haven't even had the opportunity to chat properly. There was always something to do, other people to entertain. We have a lot of catching up to do."
To be honest, being one guest among many had been a real saving grace, diverting expectations and attention away from me. But I'm not about to tell her that.
"Don't worry about it, Em. You're a wonderful host."
I could hear the smile in her voice as she replied. "Indeed. You should really show me how grateful you are. I get you here for the first time in years, I should get my old perks as well, don't you think?"
Now, that makes me turn back to face her. I'm crouching on the ground and she's sitting on the bed, her right leg crossed over the left, her foot dangling and circling in the air. Air rushes out of my lungs. All of a sudden I feel like a supplicant, looking up at my old queen. The foot dangling gets more insistent. She wants a massage, maybe more.
"That doesn't seem like a good idea, Em." And then, frowning, "Does Paolo know about this?"
Emilia's giggle makes my guts twist with longing. "You think I haven't told him you're my little wimp?"
Her tone is husky, low, conspirational. But it's the words that send me back, to a time when we spent entire days talking non-stop, when every interaction was coloured by our growing power imbalance. It was a real addiction for me, and a complete shock when I lost it.
"I'd still rather not give you a foot massage when your husband is sleeping in the next room". I know this is a bad idea. I already struggle keeping my obsession at bay as it is. I get that she wants the gratification of knowing she still has power over me, but emotionally, this would be a huge step back for me.
Unfortunately, Emilia is unused to resistance from me. I suppose that is my fault. I spent years yielding to her requests even when (in fact, especially when) they were unreasonable or violated my boundaries. It was my way of tilting our friendship into a bond among unequals. Now it was coming back to bite me in the ass.
Her foot circles in the air, coming mere inches from my face, then retreating. I got a hint of foot scent -- soft and rather mild, but enough to trigger my sensory memory to the point that my limbs trembled.
"Don't worry about Paolo," she says, smirking. "Serve him breakfast in bed after we've done and all will be forgiven. But you need to serve me first. Stop playing the adult, Rob. We both know what you really are... bitch."
That does it. The dam that's been holding my feelings back cracks and breaks, and all of a sudden I'm back in this place I thought gone forever, back in the arms of my addiction. I take Emilia's foot in my hands with trembling fingers, and the spark in her eyes tells me that the thrill of arousal coursing through her is as strong as my own, if of a different nature.
Hers is the thrill of victory, of a power trip come to life: the thrill of conquest.