The Baker's girl - A tale of Gradzlata

[siobhancan99]

Ulricha tugged her in closer and sucked on her tongue. She swirled her tongue gently around Ziva's, then broke the kiss. She kissed along her jaw to her neck and tugged her in close. Her hands slid along the smaller girl's back and cupped her ass, pulling her in close. Ulricha bit softly. Ulricha's fingers brushed between the smaller girl's cheeks, playful. She broke the kiss and looked down at her, brushing her lips over Ziva's again. She slid her hands around, cupping her breasts, thumbs working back and forth to tease across the tips. She wraps her legs around the girl and then pulls back a little "I was not kidding about taking it slow so... " She ran her fingers through Ziva's hair again, then cupped her chin and tilted her head up. She sucked on her lower lip and bit, tugging with her teeth, then slid her tongue back to tangle with Ziva's, wrestling playfully with the other woman's. her strong hands kneaded Ziva's back, keeping her close. "As for you running from the watchmen I think you'd do alright anyway, with them watching your cute little ass instead of the road beneath their feet."

 

[DramaNerdette]

Ziva laughed, and Ulricha shared in it, watching each other in the smoldering warmth of the tub. "Why Ulricha, have you found yourself distracted watching me when you should be looking after the princess upstairs?" she teased. She leaned into the blond, chasing where her lover retreated, sucking and nipping at her lower lip, hands running up her back, pulling their soap slicked bodies together. One hand slid down Ulricha's side, then came up between them, cupping her breast, lifting it in her hand as she felt the weight, the her nipple pressing into the palm. "Gods, no wonder the guys keep sneaking glances at your chest." She laughed into the next kiss. Her hands slowly trailed back down to her lovers thighs, gently massaging them, keeping her hands moving. "Mnh... I can take things slow... I know how to do that... I think..." the words punctuated with a kiss, a lick, a tiny careful bite against Ulricha's lower lip. Then she pulls back, shuddering for a moment, her hands sliding down Ulricha's arms, helping the woman cup her breasts as she tried to slow her breathing a little.

 

[siobhancan99]

Ulricha lifted the smaller girl and set her on the edge of the tub. She kissed along her chest, looking up at her "I think you're beautiful." She looked up at her with deep blue eyes, staring into Ziva's. She kissed along her neck. She cupped a small breast, pinching and tugging a tthe nipple. She kissed along her chest to the other, sucking it into her mouth. she latched her teeth to the base of her nipple and tugged, pulling, her tongue flicking and darting across the tip. She opened her mouth and drew in more of the smaller girl's flesh, her tongue battering, flicking and fluttering. she worried the base of the nipple with her teeth and then tugged again.

Releasing her, she kissed over to the other, worshipping Ziva's body with her mouth, kissing, softly biting, sucking. She latched her mouth to the other nipple and sucked hard, moaning as her tongue repeated its pattern of dancing across the tip of her nipple. She bites and pulls again, her hands sliding down. Roughly, she grips the toned thief's cute little ass and spreads the cheeks before releasing her "We can stop at any point, little Ziva" but she leans in, kissing her neck, sucking, pulling, marking the girl's neck with the force of her mouth.

 

[DramaNerdette]

"We don't have to stop. I don't want to stop." she breathed, wrapping her legs around Ulricha and using them to tug the woman in close, close enough that her wetness pressed against the blond's washboard stomach. Ziva whimpered, leaning down to taste her friend's mouth, and then back again, lifting her breast with one hand like an offering. Her other hand slipping into Ulricha's hair, pulling her mouth to the nipple, an insistence. "Please don't stop..." She whispered, a tone of need and wonder. They held each other, Ulricha's fingers slipping between her cheeks, Ziva gently grinding herself on the woman's torso, their eyes locked. A shudder rolled through the smaller woman's body, and she pushed Ulricha back to the far side of the tub, lunging after her, sliding into her lap and lowering her own mouth hungrily to the breasts she'd been stealing glances at for the past few days, moaning as her tongue slipped around the nipples, punctuated by gentle eager moments of sucking. "... gods, your body is amazing, thank you..."

 

[siobhancan99]

Ulricha moaned low in her throat "Mmmm eager. I like that." the nipple went taut under the delightful drag of Ziva's tongue around it. Ulricha gathered her hand in her friend's hair, clutching her against her ample chest. Another moan broke through the splashes of their bodies moving in the hot water, and her powerful arm wrapped around Ziva, trapping her against her. "Play around. See what you like. you can be as soft or rough as you like." Ulricha barely had nails to speak of, but they dragged along Ziva's back, leaving marks on the skin. she kept Ziva in her lap, held close without being held tight. "Mmmmm you look so good" When Ziva looked up she'd see the blue eyes staring down at her, watching her pretty face as she explored new territory.

Ulricha's hand slid along her stomach and down between Ziva's legs, cupping her gently, holding her there without trying to stimulate her yet. The tall blond valkyrie leaned in and kissed Ziva's forehead, the top of her head, wherever she could reach. Her fingers of her one hand tugged at the roots of Ziva's hair, even as the other kept its gentle pressure between her legs.

 

[DramaNerdette]

Ziva rocked up and down on the woman's hand, breath ragged with tension and lust, her head held back but the fist in her hair. An eager whine escaped her throat when she was pulled from suckling the peaked nipple, but it was silenced when their tongues met. Her thighs spread as wide as the tub would allow, then she grabbed the rim of the tub and shifted them sideways in it, letting her spread herself wider, pressing against the flat, calloused palm. The rhythm of her steady, slow ride brought small waves to the tub, and she groaned, restraining herself before they splashed to the floor. "Unh, ok, you've convinced me. I like girls too." She breathed through a grin. Her slender hand slid along Ulricha's arm, following it down between them, timid fingers brushing against her lover's wetness, feeling another woman for the first time. Her fingertips danced over lips, across her hood, her touch light and gentle. Then further, lower, fingers passing along to the tip of her rosebud, a little circle here before returning, fingers taunting the lips with a promise. Ulricha, pressed the girl's mouth to her other breast, and she suckled there just as eager, just as wanton. Trapping the tip of the blond woman's breath between her teeth in the softest possible bite, moaning as she flicked the nipple between her teeth with the tip of her tongue.

 

[siobhancan99]

Ulricha made circles with her fingers, rubbing Ziva's lips against her, keeping a very steady rhythm. She pushed her chest against Ziva's mouth, her fingers tugging at the roots of her hair "girls are a lot of fun. And the fun doesn't have to stop just because one of us had their fun" She laughs and tugs again, her fingers now slipping around Ziva's pearl, stroking, brushing, keeping the touches light, keeping the pace and the pattern set so Ziva could get into it, feel it and anticipate it. The larger woman closed her eyes, pressing her body forward, trying for as much skin to skin contact as she could. Her fingers twisted lightly, letting Ziva feel the slight burn of the pull in her hair. She spread her legs, offering her body to the lithe little thief "You're catching on quite quickly." came the low moan. The tall muscular Volk held Ziva close, the dance of her fingers as persistent as it was subtle, the slight drag of her fingertips over and around the perked bud of Ziva's pearl calculated to build her up with every pass.

 

[DramaNerdette]

Ziva slipped the nub of Ulricha's sex between two of her fingers, curved the tip of a third in, up, sliding through the wetness. "Ahhhhm!" she tried to gasp around the woman's breast, before sucking more into her mouth. That's all she wanted. More. Her hips moved in time with her lover's fingers, dancing with her, feeling the pressure build between them even as the shieldmaiden held her in place, captured by pleasure as surely as the fist in her hair or the arm around her back. He teeth grazed the edges of her lover's nipple, determined to leave their mark, Ziva suckling with the eager desperation of a young man with his first woman. Their movement together, their hands on each other, it brought splashes and cries of pleasure as they matched one another for need and lust, moving together, the need for one another rising with each wave. Ziva turned her head, gasping, "Gods, 'Richa, please...!" her voice begged in a whine, though she wasn't sure what for. Just so long as it never stopped.

 

[siobhancan99]

Ulricha's pace and pressure increased, a sign of her own building urgency. The perfect rhythm was slightly disturbed as Ziva's attentions distracted her from maintaining perfect time with the subtle stroking of her fingers. She moaned and arched, feeding her breast to the hungry street girl. Her hand wrapped tight in Ziva's dark thick hair and her breath came faster. "Just... keep.... " she closed her legs around Ziva's hand and her hips bucked, jerking a bit, jostling Ziva in her lap as she started to get off. Her hand never stopped though, even through her orgasm. her fingers continued to trace around and around, even as her moans filled the bathroom, echoing off the tile, loud enough now there was no way the rest of the house was unaware she was getting off.

 

[DramaNerdette]

The sound of Ulricha's cresting passion set Ziva off, and she arched her back, fingers still working but mouth open, crying out her release as she ground her hand against her lover's palm. She slipped against the woman, pressing down, matching her pace, hips moving in a circle to rub her pearl on Ulricha's skin. Trembling, eager, she added a second finger to the blond's wetness, and leaned forward, mouths just a breath apart, "...thank you... thank you..." she whined as her body shuddered off the cliff of her climax. "Unh! FUCK!"

 

[siobhancan99]

The larger woman cradled Ziva easily in her arms while her orgasm coursed through her, then gently held her for a minute longer. "Of course, deadly Ziva" referencing their agreement. She kissed the smaller girl softly, tugging at her upper lip and then her lower "lets get dried off and get some rest. I'm sure we have boring days ahead of us, and I have some errands to run in the morning so you'll be with her grace by yourself with the house guards for a few hours. Hopefully you don't have to fight off any other amorous suitors." Ulricha disentangled from the smaller girl and slipped easily out of the tub, then helped Ziva out before starting to towel off "you really are just gorgeous you know. So petite and pretty."

 

[DramaNerdette]

Ziva ran a hand over Ulricha's sopping blond head, blushing as she cradled her cheek, giggling with a loose happiness. "And you are strong and beautiful, my clever shieldmaiden." She sighed, more relaxed than she'd been since spying lord spoons at the tavern, and grabbed a towel of her own, working on her hair. "I hope not too. Part of me feels like I should check that damnedable trellis... but fuck it. It's a good night, I'm not going to ruin it thinking about skeezy conmen." She tossed the towel onto the edge of the tub and scooped up her clothes, before padding naked to the door. "You coming?" she asked over her shoulder, a wicked smile on her face.

 

[siobhancan99]

Ulricha nodded and slipped after her into the room. She worked her hair with the towel till it was dry enough, then laid on the bed. She left the blanket down enough for Ziva to crawl in with her, without expressly inviting her to. She left it open for the little thief "So is there anything that you're aware of that we have to do tomorrow? or do we simply play it by ear?" The taller woman looked Ziva over in the dim light of the room, with only the light of the half moon to illuminate her. She was a study in silver and darkness. The warrior woman kept propped up on one elbow as she waited for Ziva to park herself where she was wanting.

 

[DramaNerdette]

Ziva watched her partner, graceful curves, like a statue of marble. She bit her lip, watching from the doorway, heart still thudding in her chest at the newness of it all, at this Valkyrie who somehow chose her for an evening of pleasure. She slipped like a shadow across the room, turning her back to her new lover before demurely sitting, slipping under the sheet, snuggling in close. "If there is, don't tell me, I truly could not care less tonight." She said softly, tugging Ulricha's arm around her like a blanket. She pressed back, ass into the woman's lap, and turned her head, kissing the side of her neck gently.

 

[siobhancan99]

Ulricha curled the smaller woman in, running her hand over her stomach. She kept up her light touches, gently stroking and exploring, letting her calloused hand work along Ziva's lithe little athletic form. She kissed her back, shifting up a bit to do so, trapping her lower lip between her own. She sighed and settled back in, one leg wrapping over Ziva's. She tangled up, spooning the little thief and holding her "No, we don't have to think about anything else tonight" She planted small soft kisses against the back of Ziva's neck, letting her own brush the skin softly. Her fingers kept their lazy exploration up for a short time, slowing, then eventually stopping as she fell asleep wrapped around Ziva, warm against her back.

 

[DramaNerdette]

The touches, the gentle pressure on her back, they warmed Ziva. Along with the heat from the bath, and the release from her orgasm atop Ulricha's palm, she followed the woman deep into slumber, a small, happy smile on her face. She slept better than she had in months.

 

[siobhancan99]

Ziva woke to find Ulricha curled around her still. When the larger woman felt her stir, she unwrapped herself from the girl and sat up "I didn't want to wake you, you were sleeping so soundly" She ran her fingers through Ziva's hair gently, massaging lightly at her scalp. Slipping out of bed she tugged on a pair of hose and a linen shirt. Over that she threw a gambeson and chain shirt "I have some errands to run today. In the morning. I shouldn't be much past lunch." She looked Ziva over and smiled, though she made no overt physical overtures, unsure as to how the girl might feel in the morning and letting her sort that out for herself. "I"m sure her ladyship can do without me for a few hours, as she doesn't seem to be a terribly early riser." Ulricha secreted a dagger under her chain shirt on a belt, then strapped a Zweihander onto her hip, the huge sword would have looked comical on Ziva, but on Ulricha it just looked like a little much.

She sat on the bed, having dressed, and reached over to touch Ziva's foot through the blanket "IF you need to talk or anything today you know, we can make the time. And if you prefer not to talk that's also ok." She gave the girl's foot a gentle squeeze, then got up and popped a stone in her mouth, of the variety made by hedge wizards to clean the teeth and freshen the breath. "I understand we are having company tonight. So we should probably take stock of the entrances and exits and the like. Also maybe lock up anything that we don't want walking away. People have a tendency, even among the rich I find, to acquire unattended valuables. Not that YOU in particular would know anything about that, liebchen."

 

[DramaNerdette]

"Who me? No idea what you are talking about. Must be someone else. Someone of low moral fiber." She grinned lazily back, and then took a deep breath, face turning serious. "Listen... last night was wonderful. I never... it was something I had never considered. And now I have to. Consider it I mean." She rose up on one elbow, the sheets sliding off her shoulder, ignored. Instead she reached out for Ulricha's hand and took it in her own, running her thumb over the knuckles. "I don't know how I'll feel totally, once I've had some coffee and woken up a bit. But I do know that I do not regret sharing myself with you. We'll talk tonight, ok?" She squeezed that calloused hand, then looked away, embarrassed at some of the feelings swirling in her gut.

Ziva slid out of the bed on the opposite side from her partner, and walked silently to the window with all the grace of a panther. Even bare, something in her demeanor... shifted. Her perspective, perhaps. Other than mortal, like a great hunting cat. "I need to rob this building. A few times. I can handle that this morning while you're out, and it'll give me a good idea how someone else might do so. My first order of business would be to cut down that damned trellis. If the gardeners of the wealthy knew how much those things cost their masters, they would all be burned for winter wood." She looked back over at Ulricha, and some of the tension seeped from her spine. She moved back to the bed, plucking up a cleaning stone of her own and popping it into her mouth, before daintily alighting on the woman's lap. "It will be a good conversation, I hope. But whatever it is, know you'll always be my friend, you adorable shieldmaiden." She said, before kissing Ulricha softly on the cheek.

 

[siobhancan99]

Ulricha tugged softly at Ziva's lower lip with her own "careful you dont get pinched by the rings." she looked down at her chain, running her hand over the little thief's pert bottom. She gave it a gentle squeeze "We will talk if you're ready to talk, and it will be good. And you will always be my friend, deadly little Ziva" She smiled and gently extracted herself from Ziva, heading out.

As Ulricha noted, Jerina was not an early riser. Ziva had ample opportunity to scope out the house. There was a trellis leading to Jerina's room, and the window was partially open in a way that suggested someone might have climbed down out of it last night and not quite gotten the window shut while clinging to the trellis. The downstairs windows all were barred on the outside, with shutters that opened inward, but there was no ingress or egress from most of them. Only two were left open, probably so that nobody was trapped in a fire. Those windows had a lockable gate on the inside, but if someone was making off with valuables from the house and was invited in, they could pick their way out of these windows.

There was only one door on the ground floor, a large entranceway with a dual staircase heading up. At the door were two of Banimir's men, and they were on a rotating basis changing shifts every 2 hours over the course of the day, and every three at night. At the top of the stairs were two bedrooms with the doors overlooking the grand entranceway, and four more facing each other, off to the sides. The two rooms in the front had windows that did not lock and were not barred in the same fashion as the ground floor, but overlooked the street. In the back, the lockable gates were installed inside as well.

 

[DramaNerdette]

After wandering the grounds, Ziva had a pretty good idea how she'd rob the place. A two-person team and the exit windows. Sure, they were made to help escape in the event of a fire, but they were also an obvious weakness. Get someone into the party as a plus one, and anything they can grab, drop out the window to a waiting partner while they're "powdering their nose". If someone was good with a lockpick, the options blossomed rapidly. The front windows were safe, anyone trying to sneak out those, or drop some trinkets, should get spotted by the door guards. Could be used as a distraction, of course. But with a lockpick you could simply pop the back door and waltz on out, dump your loot in the alley across the street, and return to the party. No one would know, and you could enjoy the festivities, go back for more. Ziva sighed. She'd have to try to talk one of the door guards into patrolling outside the building. Perhaps they knew some friends they could trust to call in for the event. Ziva glanced up as the sun finally started cresting over the city, and headed back to her room, where she scooped up the scarf, carefully folded, with the letter on top. Then, after a moment of consideration, placed the scarf and the letter atop a throw pillow and went to go check on her charge.

Ziva knocked on Jerina's door, paused for half a moment, then stepped inside, keeping her eyes firmly on the wall at the far side of the room, in case his charge wasn't fully dressed. "Good morning!" She said brightly, with a way-too-happy smile, pillow presented before her. "This was delivered last night. It came with a note, which I have not read. Sleep well?" She reached out, and slowly, clearly slid the window shut, and turned the lock.

 

[siobhancan99]

Jerina had the same content look of a woman well fucked that Ziva was wearing "Tolerably well. Thank you. I trust you and Ulricha weren't too cold. The bath is to your taste? I know most just use the sticks the hedge wizards provide but... out in the styx we're short on hedge wizards and long on water. So we bathe. The house's owner loved the indulgence so we got lucky." She rose and disappeared behind a screen, dressing "The gathering tonight should be reasonably small. Mrs. Simic, Trinthalas of course. A bard friend of his and some Sewochi refugees. Trinthalas is concerned about the exploitation of Sewochi refugees fleeing the famine. I wanted to hear about their plight firsthand, so Banimir could perhaps use his influence when he returns..." She darkened a little "If he returns. We should... we should prepare ourselves for the worst." She sighed and looked over to Ziva, at once clearly nervous and curious "Have... you ever been down there?" she gestured at the basin, but clearly meant the catacombs beneath where her husband was. "It seems such a foolish vain male thing to do, proving yourself against monsters since there hasn't been a war recently. And what's to become of us all if he never returns? What about his poor father left without an heir? I didn't want to come. I told him I hate the city which was a lie. I've always loved the city. I wanted him to ... stay home and be sensible."

 

[DramaNerdette]

"The bath was... definately something. A fun new experience in a number of ways." she grinned brazenly. Then she looked towards the basin, seeing the same darkness that worried Jerina. "I have. Been down there, I mean. For money, not for pride. People like Banimir often take along people like me to make sure they can get back. Sometimes... not often but sometimes... people like me are hired to make certain people like Banimir don't come back. Accidents happen, down there in the dark." There was a long pause, and Ziva stepped closer, setting down the scarf and the letter on the bed.

"Can I... is it ok if I ask you a kinda personal question?" Jerina nodded cautiously, and Ziva went on. "You seem... very worried for Banimir. I know marrying him wasn't a choice you made, but a task you were given, I get that... but do you like him for him? Not his station, or his money, or even what you two were forced into being for each other. Do you like the man? Would you like him if you met in a tavern? I'm not one to judge anyone for loving who they love..." she glances significantly at the window, "...but... I feel like you might be a little conflicted on the subject. And I'm worried you don't have anyone who you can talk to about it."

 

[siobhancan99]

Jerina favored her with a somewhat cool look, as if to say it wasn't really her place, but after a moment she shrugged "not loving my husband and wanting him to die in some god forsaken pit are two different things entirely. I like him well enough. He's affable. He's made the best out of a life he didn't choose for himself, and a match he didn't choose for himself. He's a nice person. If you've any interest I wouldn't stand in your way." She looked out the window "but I didn't meet him in a tavern. I met him because his brother found death preferable to a life with me. There was an affair, a common girl and a baby. He loved her and he found the notion of life without her and life with me intolerable. So he hung himself in his father's room as a final act of protest after the girl and her family were packed off with some money and a reasonably well to do husband willing to claim the baby for his own. Banimir was thrust into this life and I never had any say in it. That's how we met. So we will soldier on, as our class is expected to do. Stiff upper lip and all that." She leaned against a nearby bookcase. "it is possible to at once be unhappy in one's lot in life and still find the person you are stuck with to be pleasant enough. Besides, if not him I'd be married off to some elder knight of my father's. My marriage will always be for cementing ties between men who rule and kill." She tugged softly on her braid "And I will find my happiness discretely where I can like any other, and I rather imagine... if you're so inclined...so too will Banimir when he returns."

 

[DramaNerdette]

Ziva smiles softly at the woman. "I appreciate the... offer... of your husband, but I don't sleep with married men unless I'm sleeping with their wives too. I especially don't sleep with clients. Unprofessional." She meant it as a bluff, something to make Jerina back off just a touch, but is surprised when she realized that the idea was actually tempting. She cleared her throat, covering for the sudden distraction. "So, no intent on trying to see if you and he could make a go of the whole... happily ever after? He would you know, if he thought you actually liked him back." She waved her hand, dismissing the inevitable and surprisingly steely stare of disapproval. "I know, I know, not my place silly street rat. I get it, you're uncomfortable talking about it. But you NEED to. You don't have anyone you can confide in that doesn't want you for your body or your marriage prospects. If I'm so distasteful of a conversational partner, find SOMEONE else, ok? Otherwise I'm just going to keep trying to get you to relax a bit and make a damn friend." She laughs, "Besides, c'mon. You know we'd have fun hanging out, I know where all the best bars, restaurants, and dance halls in town are."

 

[siobhancan99]

Jerina rolled her eyes "sure you have me pegged. Bars and dance halls all the way down. That's me. Life of Gradzlata." The young woman was really sort of old before her time, it was true. "Anyway. I appreciate your concern. As for Banimir's feelings for me or mine for him, that's going to have to remain really an item for us to work out." She turned and sort of dismissed the girl, so she could go bathe.

Ziva frittered away the morning, and when Ulricha returned it was with a slightly heavier purse and some lunch. She had a few serviceable Gibanica's from a bakery in the rise. They weren't exactly how Ziva would have made them, but they did the job well enough. Ulricha looked around the house "So." She chewed on her pastry "anything we need to worry about for later? Or is the house as dull as it looks from the outside?" There was nothing behind the house but mountain, as this was the heights, and the houses were reasonably spread out wuth grounds around. The Gardens were dead from the unseasonable cold. "It might snow" the big woman added "I can smell it in the air"

It hardly ever snowed in town, being this close to the sea it was rarely quite cold enough.