“It’s fine.”
Cassandra shook her head, and focused on the trimming. It was his gold anyway. She knew very well he didn’t care much about it. The Imperial Family was way too rich to really care. She focused on his beard, cutting it but leaving some, as she loved the spiky feeling of it. Once she was done, she had cut about two-thirds of it, but still leaving about half an inch for herself to play with.
“Alright, we are done,” she said with a satisfied smile.
Kairen nodded, checking his newly trimmed beard with his fingers. Cassandra knew he was satisfied as he didn’t ask her to cut more. She put her dagger down, and went to gather the hair she had collected in a napkin. Then, she very carefully started wetting it in the little basin and braided it. Kairen frowned a bit, wondering what she was doing now. She even got up several times to look through her little chest full of jewelry she seldom used. Once she was done, Cassandra proudly showed it to him. She had made a bracelet of his cut hair, adding some of her little gold rings to it. Kairen was surprised. She finished knotting the silky black hair around her wrist, around the thread from their ceremony, and it was clear it wouldn’t come off unless cut.
“Did you intend to make this from the start?” he asked, stroking the little bracelet.
“Yes... Your hair is very long, and I like it. It will be my memento for when you’re gone.”
He nodded, a bit curious. Then, his eyes went to her hair, frowning.
“Do you want one from me too?” asked Cassandra, reading his mind easily.
“I don’t want you to cut your hair.”
She chuckled and grabbed the dagger again. Kairen was frowning, but Cassandra knew very well he loved her long hair, and had no intention to cut it short either. Instead, she grabbed a strand around her nape, where it wouldn’t be seen. She cut a good portion of it. Her hair was long enough, and that bunch alone would suffice.
“Will a bracelet fit you?” she asked, a bit unsure.
“Can you braid it into my hair?”
Cassandra immediately loved the idea. She checked the braids she had done in Kairen’s hair, and worked around it. The final result was actually surprisingly beautiful. From what she had done before, the black braids on his head were fading into her dark-brown strands, and falling a bit lower down his back. It looked like his hair was naturally fading into hers, and the now rather long braids down his back were quite beautiful and unique. She had a wide smile observing the result. The War God, too, grabbed the braids to look at it, stroking the dark brown strands with his fingers.
“Are you happy with it, dear customer?” Cassandra asked.
“Very,” he replied with a nod.
He pulled her in for a kiss, now that they were done with the hair-styling fun. Cassandra was so happy, she wished those few days of peace together could last forever. She felt safe wherever the Prince was, even more so when they were staying at the Diamond Palace. This Rain Ceremony had been a dream come true, so simple yet so beautiful. She didn’t know if Kairen grasped the full extent of this vow, how much it meant for her, but she was satisfied enough to have been bonded with him in the ways of her people. She didn’t want to take this silk thread or her newly made hair bracelet off, ever. Even if they had to part soon, she knew she’d cherish it and comfort herself with it.
She was just so eager to enjoy all of him while she still could. She kissed him back, so eager and demanding. She would never get tired of this man. Especially since she really liked that new hairdo. Kairen looked even manlier, if possible. He truly looked like a God of War, like this. He wasn’t a particularly handsome man, but Cassandra had grown to love his strong jaw, his obsidian eyes, and his features. His muscles, too. She was never into burly men, but Kairen’s powerful arms just ignited all of her desire so easily, with those large hands. She would blush every time he caressed her, her body so conditioned to his touch after all of those hours of love making.
There was something about knowing those were their last days together for a while. Somehow, she didn’t want to let go of him, not yet. Her whole world had been spinning around this man for several months now. The weeks without him had been hard. Now, how long would she have to wait until the next time they could be together again?
Hence, for once Cassandra wasn’t too shy about taking the lead. She pushed him gently on the bed, and of course, her Prince wouldn’t reject her. Kairen actually liked to see her act a little bit bolder, to let her take the lead in bed. They had made love so many times, their bodies didn’t hold many secrets from each other.
Cassandra sat across his hips, while Kairen pulled them both into the middle of the bed. She felt a bit guilty about having sex after they both just changed, but it was a bit too late to reconsider. Their passionate kissing wasn’t giving much room for her to think, and her skin was burning up already. She undid the laces of her dress, and helped her Prince take off his pants. Within a few minutes, they had their skins against each other, and no piece of clothing left. Cassandra kept caressing the long, freshly cut braid on Kairen’s back. She really liked his new hairdo, and her fingertips would caress his head, feel the bare parts behind his ears, caress it down to his nape, then find the braid, trace it back to the top, and redo that gesture, over and over again.
“Stop that.”
Cassandra frowned, a bit surprised. She tilted her head, but when she tried to pass her fingers behind his ears again, Kairen avoided it. She chuckled.
“Don’t tell me...it tickles?”
“Just stop.”
Cassandra laughed. Who could have known the War God was ticklish behind his ears!
Chapter17
Cassandra slowly woke up to some rummaging behind the door. She frowned, wondering what was going on. If she focused enough, she could hear a bit of the conversation...
“But... It’s been two days...”
“I told you, they are fine! Just leave it here. They eat it, don’t they? Just come and clean it up later. Don’t disturb them, they’ll come out when they have had enough.”
“Oh... I see...”
