[ORP] Ettinford: A Tale by the Sea

[Aileigh]

In an instance, the warmth was gone. Thea’s initial physical response was noticeable to the damphyr, all the way down to the increased heart rate. Aileigh was swarmed with emotions - some of them recognizable such as panic, some foreign and undistinguishable. She was not expecting the rise of emotion in Thea or the cold words she spoke.

Tears unexpectedly began to surface, stinging her eyes and blurring Thea’s face. They both knew Aileigh hated using her abilities to see her own future. She wanted to live it, not anticipate it. She didn’t even want to use it regarding Thea because some things are just better to experience. There were times it felt a burden to be a powerful seer. The last time she really looked into her own future was when she saw the abuse Zhou would someday impose and it frightened her.

The harsh tone hurt. Thea was known to be blunt and at times came across harsh, but there was emotion behind these words. Emotion Aileigh didn’t understand. Where was this coming from?

That’s when it became recognizable. The emotions were anger and frustration, and even jealousy. But they weren’t hers - until now that is. The anger was beginning to become a mutual feeling as a tear fell. She shifted slightly, putting a bit of distance between them.

“Are you— are you jealous? Is that what this is? I don’t understand. He’s not… He’s not a replacement. I’m married to you and I don’t want a divorce. I’m comfortable with our lives - so what’s the problem?”

Her words were a bit heated, unusual for her. The feelings of anger rose, mingling with her responsive tears.

“Is my love for him a problem?”

[Thea]

Thea scoffed at the insinuation, the implication that she was jealous of the romantic nature of Aileigh's relationship with Andrzej. Perhaps even suggesting that she was jealous of the love and intimacy between them. No, Thea knew that was wrong. She knew that was not the issue.

Her anger was rising as well. At this point, the pair seemed to be feeding off each other’s emotions. The air was filled with the volatility of a fast-approaching storm. Thea stood up from the bed abruptly with her hands visibly shaking.

"No, of course not. Why should I be jealous? I am upset because your choices are threatening what we have here. Our life, our family. I never expected monogamy from you just as you never expected it from me, but this is different."

Thea's voice was rising with each sentence, each word. She was not even conscious of her own emotions at this point.

"How can you not see that this is a threat to what we have? Why are you framing this as a 'me' problem?"

[Aileigh]

A storm was brewing.

Her eyes were fixated on Thea as she bolted out of bed. This was a new situation between them - arguing. Somehow, it was new territory for the wives after being married for a year and a half. They had always managed to support each other, despite their vast differences. It was not a good feeling as the anger swelled in her chest. She rose from the bed, confronting Thea with the bed between them.

“He isn’t a threat though! He’s on our side. He wants what’s best for me and supports my decision to continue our lives! I could file for a divorce if I wanted. I could make an entire life with him! Move to Bravia, take the kids. I could do it.

But I don’t want to! I want to stay with you. I don’t know how to describe it, but I love you. Not in a romantic way, but as a friend and a partner. I cherish you and our family. I would never do something that would jeopardize us. Don’t you get that?

You sleep with whom you want. So do I. It just so happens I found a person I don’t wish to move on from. He’s kind and affectionate and gentle. He’s cares about what I want and this,” Aileigh motioned between them. “Is what I want. Us.”

[Thea]

The words which were likely meant to calm her anger had the opposite effect. They were now facing each other in the dark room with a wide double bed separating them. If the atmosphere could reflect what was happening between the wives there would be dark storm clouds swirling around them. Deep rumbles of thunder. Bright flashes of lightning.

"He is not on our side, he is on your side! He has barely even spoken to me despite living here in our house and interacting with our children on a daily basis."

If they were to split up, Thea knew that Aileigh would leave Fenia. She knew that her (ex) wife would take the children with her. And she even knew that this would be the right choice for all of them. It was an unspoken truth between them from the very beginning. Yet, Aileigh's words felt like a sharp knife to the back. There was a pain in her chest and dizzying anger clouding her head now.

Thea walked around to the other side of the bed so that she and Aileigh were now standing face to face. Stormy gray eyes once again locked onto the bright blue pair.

"I do not care who you sleep with. I care that it affects us! Do you genuinely not see that? Is your love for him truly clouding the reality of this situation?"

At this point, they were circling the same points multiple times over. A chasm was threatening to form between them.

[Aileigh]

Aileigh inhaled sharply. It was true that Andrzej and Thea did not have much of a relationship. Perhaps that was her fault, but Thea also never seemed interested in getting to know him. It did not seem odd until now. If it was a problem, it was a problem Thea could fix herself. All it took was a conversation.

Instead, they were yelling at each other.

The young women were having a stand off, a look of annoyance and anger in Aileigh’s blue eyes. Her hands shook at her side, so she pressed them to against her thighs in attempt to control the tremble. She was not easy to anger and she didn’t do well with it.

“Are you on my side? Because if you are, then we are all on the same side. We want what’s best for the children and that’s us as mothers living quiet lives together. We will raise them in a loving, united environment. So what if he’s around? He’s an asset to have. Another person to love them and to teach them. How is that wrong to want?”

[Thea]

Thea scoffed and shook her head. How could Aileigh be so blind? She did not understand how they had ended up here. Everything had been fine, good even. Now Aileigh questioned whether they were even on the same side.

"Of course, I am on your side! I have been on your side since day one. How can you even question that? Do you think so little of me? I just do not understand how you do not get that what you are suggesting complicates things! Our agreement that the children born into this marriage would be ours regardless of who might lay blood claim to them."

Her head felt hazy. Aileigh's words were not only hurtful, but they were also maddening. She took a step backward to put a bit more distance between them. Was this all a mistake? Was it a deluded arrangement that would never actually work out?

[Aileigh]

Thea’s response made her realize the level of her accusation and the pain such an accusation might cause. Thea pulled back, but Aileigh stepped forward. Her anger was ebbing to sadness, but also into compassion. She was not one to stay angry for long, and while they were feeding off each other’s emotions, Thea withdrawing was enough to cause pause in her words. Tears filled her eyes, chest heaving with frustrated breaths.

Aileigh didn’t know what to say or what to do. It was new territory for her, arguing with her partner. Someone who she promised to live her life with. Someone she was meant to be truthful to, someone she had never hurt. Until now. It was a sinking feeling, realizing that her argument caused harm. Thea suddenly seemed vulnerable to her, in stark contrast to her usual strength and confidence.

Aileigh reached forward for her wife’s hand, grasping it firmly so she was less likely to resist. She pressed the hand to her abdomen, eyes imploring and searching.

“These children are yours. They will share your name. They will call you mother. They will be treated equally. I promise.”

[Thea]

As Aileigh grabbed her hand, Thea had to resist urge to pull away. She did not like all of these emotions and she especially did not like feeling vulnerable. Her wife's grip was strong and firm, keeping her from reflexively pulling away. Thea looked down at where her hand was held to Aileigh's flat abdomen.

In an unusual turn of events Thea was at a loss for words. She seemed to always have something to say no matter the circumstances. Now there was no words. She still felt angry and hurt and betrayed, but there was something else there as well. She could not place this feeling. Her eyes looked back up towards her partner's face.

What she did next she did not understand. It was totally and unequivocally out of character. She leaned forward and placed her lips against Aileigh's.

[Aileigh]

Thea went quiet and for a moment, the only sounds that could be heard were birdsong beyond the draped windows. The storm seemed to pass, but the emotions were still running wildly. Aileigh didn’t know how to process the feelings she felt; it was as if she was being tugged into different directions. One part of her was sad and frustrated, another compassionate and understanding. Oddly, there was another fraction competing with the first two, out of place and unknown. Feelings of jealousy and love were rising to the top.

It was then that the most unexpected happened. She found herself in close contact with Thea, having little time to react before their lips met. Stunned, Aileigh stood there, emotions spiraling and thoughts clouded. She found herself returning the kiss before catching herself. She dropped Thea’s hand and stepped back, the action delayed from shock and confusing feelings. She didn’t know what to say, so she simply stared at her wife.

There was a time that Aileigh had crushed on Thea. It was towards the beginning of their relationship. She found Thea attractive and living with her brought on natural feelings. However, that was a year ago. In that time, she got over Zhou and found a love with Andrzej. So why was the kiss between the wives… Pleasant?

Her momentary stun was over quickly, thoughts running at top speed. Driven by the feelings warming her chest, she stepped forward to close the small distance she had just put between them. She pulled Thea even closer and without a word, she placed another kiss onto her lips. It was a risky move, but driven by the emotion radiating through the room: infatuation.

[Thea]

Despite her history and her reputation, Thea had scarcely ever kissed before. When she had kissed it was definitely not like this. This was warm… soft… pleasant. Thea had never associated any of those feelings with a kiss before. It was good.

But then Aileigh pulled back and stepped away. Thea's face fell though it was likely hard to see in the darkness. The silence was loud with only their breathing filling the still space. Despite this being her own bedroom, Thea considered fleeing. To where she did not know. These thoughts flooding her head were stopped abruptly.

Aileigh stepped forward and pressed her lips to Thea's. Now it was Thea's turn to freeze but this lasted mere seconds. Her arm wrapped slowly around her wife's waist to pull her body closer.

Her mind was racing and full of colliding thoughts. Anger. Jealousy. Want. Desire. Frustration. Happiness. Affection.

Love.

It was too much to think about. It hurt her head. She could not handle it anymore. Thea pulled away from her spouse abruptly, despite thoroughly enjoying the kiss.

"I am sorry. I should not have done that. I do not know why I did that."