Sigrid lay looking up at the lightly lit roof with Mirja's naked body nestled up to her own. She could not help but to think of Torun. Not even with her had she felt like this. Mirja had worshipped her entire body for the last five bells and there was not a single point of her flesh that Mirja's tongue had not explored.
The bells struck two in the morning and most of the sounds from the College had ceased. She had almost fallen asleep when she heard shouting from outside. She untangled herself from Mirja and went up to the window. Between two buildings she saw shapes carrying lamps. She squinted and thought she saw more people behind carrying a large container.
Probably heading for the Animancy building, she thought to herself.
The shouting stopped and the figures disappeared. Sigrid turned around and looked over at Mirja. She was sprawled out naked on the soft silken sheets, her long dark hair had fallen over her face. Sigrid walked back to the bed and lay down next to her. Watching. She was beautiful. Not a single scar anywhere on her body. Not like Sigrid's own that was scarred all over. Sigrid pulled the hair off Mirja's face and crawled closer putting her nose in her hair and drawing deep on her scent. Mirja stirred slightly and moved closer. Sigrid put her arm around the other woman and then she fell asleep for the first time in a long while.
"Wake up sleepy-head," Mirja said kissing her lightly.
Sigrid opened her eyes and was blinded by the light.
"What ... what time is it?" she said in a rough voice.
"Just enough so that I can enjoy you one more time before Jarl gets back," Mirja said with a smirk.
***
"By the Gods I'm tired!" Jarl exclaimed as he barged through the door and fell onto on one of the long chairs.
"Rough night?" Mirja said handing him a cup of broth that she had prepared. "Drink."
Sigrid had watched her going through the motions over by one of the tables. The broth was steaming hot even though there had not been a flame anywhere near the cup. It felt so strange knowing that they both had powers she could not even perceive.
"You could say that," Jarl said sipping from the cup. "Hm. This is good," he said taking another sip.
"It will restore your strength."
"Mhm," Jarl said and took another sip.
Mirja took a few quick steps towards him and caught the cup before it fell out of his hands. From Jarl's mouth came a loud snore. Sigrid raised an eyebrow at Mirja who was putting the cup back on the table where she had prepared it.
"What was in there?"
Mirja looked at her.
"Just something to make him sleep. It is a long day and I need him fresh by this evening. He will be ready to go by ten bells, just in time for first class," she said as she walked over to Sigrid and gave her a kiss. "Now. Let's go up and have a look at that door," she continued and headed towards the door.
They left the snoring Jarl behind and headed upstairs. The halls of the Lost Princes were as always empty. Sigrid assumed that someone had to clean them sometime, but she had never seen a living soul there. As long as they stayed far away from any windows they would not be seen from the outside. As they neared the ebony door Sigrid could feel Tora more clearly. She was always at the back of her mind when she was downstairs in Jarl's quarters but now she could feel her, it was like a tugging feeling, but light.
"Hmm," Mirja said and walked up to the door.
The dark-haired woman studied it for a long moment pulling strands of her long hair that were straying into her face back behind her ears. Sigrid fingered her remaining nine throwing daggers and then both striking daggers and finally the long dagger.
"Very strange," Mirja said running her fingers over the fine patterns that were inlaid in the door.
Sigrid had not noticed it in the gloom of the other night. There were whole stories told over the surface of the door. And still no handle.
"Step back," Mirja said and put all ten fingers on the ebony surface.
Sigrid did as the Kelivese woman demanded and watched in silence as Mirja seemed to try to push her fingers through the door. Without success. She moved her hands in circular patterns and then reapplied them to the door. Still nothing.
"Hm," Mirja said shaking her head. "There has to be a sequence. I can feel the filaments extending but they do not want to connect with me."
Sigrid raised her eyebrows but did not say anything. What would she say? She had barely understood a word Mirja had said. The Kelivese woman tried a few more times but the door was still silent as the Northern Wastes at midwinter. Mirja sighed.
"Well then. I clearly need to do some homework," she said shaking her head.
They headed downstairs again and once the door was closed behind them, she spoke.
"Do you think you will be able to open it?"
Mirja turned around and closed the distance between them.
"Do you trust me?"
Sigrid could feel Mirja's breath on her lips. She nodded.
