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Within the borders of Liyue, high above the peak of even Qingyun, one could find with the right glint of sunlight, the reflection of the plaustrite holding the Jade Chamber aloft.
The sun’s edge had not yet crested over the horizon—the new day had not yet dawned, and therefore, the harbour was calm, its present appearance belying the busyness that it was known to possess during waking hours. Most of the residents remained asleep. Bound by the human need of rest, Liyue's citizenry was quiet, putting off the necessary wakefulness.
It was summer. A notoriously violent season for seafarers, but for now, the beloved and revered captain of the Alcor was safe from such dangers. Comfortably tucked within the softest modal sheets the Tianquan's mora could buy, the Uncrowned Lord of the Ocean lie peacefully at rest, consciousness hovering on that slight edge between full wakefulness and deep slumber.
With a heavy sigh, the brunette shifted, causing the sheets over her to rustle gently, barely making a whisper of sound within the large room. A scarred arm moved, reaching instinctively for a slender waist. The corner of Beidou's lips twitched, and she sighed again in comfort as she tightened her arm around Ningguang, tugging the other woman imperceptibly closer.
With her nose pressed to Ningguang's luscious hair braided to avoid tangles and mattes, her sweetly intoxicating scent filled Beidou's head. For a few more beats, the corsair slept on. The Jade Chamber was too high for songbirds to rouse them with their morning cheer, and Ningguang's secretaries and guards alike knew better than to interrupt when Beidou called.
Let sleeping doves lie, they would have said.
Sometimes when the Lord came, it was protocol that she had, in fact, not visited the Jade Chamber. While Beidou had made an admirable reputation for herself amongst the people of Liyue Harbor and across the seas, she sometimes put herself into positions which placed her at odds with the Qixing's Tianquan. Still, the secretaries and guards were well aware that so long as Beidou was there, no harm could possibly come to Ningguang. She had, after all, subdued the devastating Haishan. No less than a third of the Jade Chamber's guards longed to set their eyes upon her fabled claymore, to see for themselves if his terrible blood had soaked into the blade. None would ever ask, as they valued their lives too much.
Pity. Beidou would have entertained their curiosity… with enough wine.
The longest-serving guards of the Tianquan would never point it out, as they willfully played a blind eye any time she was aboard the Chamber's lofty halls, but her personality shift did not go wholly unnoticed. Ningguang had never been aboard the Alcor or any other ship in The Crux's fleet, so Beidou's shipmates had never had the same unique opportunity to see her personality shift so boldly. Ningguang's subordinates were the only ones to have even an inkling of insight to how they were at their most natural in one another's presence.
So much of a paradox their entire relationship was, from business to casual to intimate. Yet through all permutations, Beidou remained consistent in her undying desire to goad the taller woman. Ningguang humoured her, just as usual, although the degree to which she openly displayed her exasperation and irritation varied accordingly.
Where Ningguang was serious, commanding soft-spoken authority, Beidou was boisterously playful, although one sometimes had to be careful not to miss any hidden meaning in her words. Ningguang was elegantly tall, with the silkiest ankle-length snow-white hair that remained sleek from head to toe. She was not without her curves, and while many men – and women – were wont to stare after her turned back with desire in their eyes, to her face not a soul but Beidou had the brashness to acknowledge them. Beidou was also tall, although Ningguang stood above her just so slightly, with a fuller frame. In order to man the Alcor, and wield her weapon, Beidou's muscles and strength were not for show. She kept the portion of her waist-length brunette locks closest to her face swept up and out of the way, pinned in place. Unlike her partner, men feared the corsair, and while women found her devilishly charming and alluring, were too intimidated to approach her.
Ningguang put her business smarts and diplomacy to do her work, Beidou took command of it with her own fists.
Ningguang preferred the simple quiet of the Jade Chamber, held aloft among the mountains of Liyue. Beidou loved the crashing waves of the seas, with the shouts of her men in her ears, and the clashing of goblets at the end of a violent run.
Some would say that "opposites attract", and under such cliché, would assume Ningguang and Beidou to be a pair made in Celestia.
Their relationship was not so simple. Even the emotions concerned were not straightforward. Theirs was primarily a relationship based in business, and whatever intimacies occurred between the two and the modal sheets of Ningguang's luxuriously canopied bed were not dissimilar.
Nothing excited Beidou like life on the seas, battling, surviving through, and rescuing those in need during the most violent waves and blinding rainfalls. Ningguang did not bring the corsair excitement, nor even something so mundane as love. The precious moments Beidou could spend with Ningguang were a unique outlet of that gentler side of her human nature - to keep things in balance before she returned to the seas.
Likewise for Ningguang, who loved nothing more than mora and of which could never have enough, she often professed to "not needing love." For love was impermanent, and mora was eternal. It was perhaps folly, but the idea of herself being bound by the same impermanence as love was one that never struck her. Still, Ningguang received a different feeling of passion when Beidou called for a visit.
It was almost always unplanned, as the corsair could never guarantee being in port at a certain time. Her path was ruled by the waves and the winds, and would often be at sea for several months before the shores of the Harbor were in her sights again. That lack of knowing drove Ningguang insane, but she had satisfactorily sufficient subordinates to take over enough tasks to free her schedule so as to spend as much time with her seafaring partner as possible. Biedou brought spice and excitement to her, most often in the form of some surprise or other, and as much as she refused to admit it, she would rather lose a bet than miss a chance to be with her.
In front of others, her vexation would appear genuine, but Beidou had vision in her eye good enough to see through that gold-silk fan to spy the twitch at the edge of her lips. The added sway to her hips would be invisible to anyone else, but to the corsair it was like a siren call, and she could do nothing else but follow after.
Their first night together was always the hottest. Beidou grinning, cheeky, as Ningguang played up her irritation and unfastened the pin keeping the bulk of the brunette's hair back. Her tresses spilled forward over her shoulders as Beidou leaned down and connected her lips to the first patch of Ningguang's skin they found. Ningguang would protest, pushing back on those stone-like shoulders. As always, Beidou would not budge, but followed after Ningguang, through the hallways and doors and into the large room serving as Ningguang's private chambers.
They wouldn't fall onto the bed, Ningguang would be sincerely perturbed, so Beidou had to be gentle. She would lean up, on her toes, and kiss the pale forehead between the part of that milky hair, while reaching up around her to similarly unpin the sleek tresses. Ningguang would sit on the edge, sometimes surprising her and sometimes not by tugging on the front of her qipao. Beidou would either give in to the tug, or take her seat without prompting. Running fingers through hair, kisses followed. Against lips, cheek, chin, jaw, neck, collar.
Eventually, once both were breathless and eyes full of glitter, they moved to the centre of the bed. Clothing was unfastened, unzipped, stripped off. Creamy-soft skin graced with long, elegant fingers, or short, calloused fingertips. On the nights when Ningguang wanted to lead first, Beidou laid back for her, encouraging her on with surprisingly soft moans, for all the loud depth her voice held in conversation. Her breath eventually came out in puffs, thighs shaking from the stimulation, and she would curve a hand over Ningguang's cheek, begging with her good eye, and Ningguang inevitably gave in, crawling up her body to straddle hips and let their lips meet in messy kisses again.
With both women losing breath yet again, Beidou would sit up, holding Ningguang's slender waist with one scarred hand as she rotated her hips, and gracefully placed the other woman under her. Then it was Ningguang's turn to grip the sheets, toes curling, as Beidou played her body as well as Xiangling could a wok. Beidou could claim she did not love Ningguang, but she adored every seemingly unlike-herself sound and expression the corsair was able to force out of her.
That first night together always went like this, and for as long as both women had the energy.
Last night was one such night, and they had gone until late in the evening. Beidou had been at sea for over eight months, and Ningguang's desperation in her kisses and hands had told her not to let her next voyage take her away for so long. As much as she was able, the Uncrowned Lord would abide.
So while neither woman would confess to "love", what they shared was something like love. Love adjacent. Each had a unique need and desire for the other, and the time they could share with one another was sporadic and unpredictable. They would not use the label, because in the depths of their hearts they wished not to limit what they shared to something as trivial as a word, a definition. The important thing was what they felt, and what they shared.
Through the curtained window overlooking the Liyue landscape, the sun was creeping higher up towards the horizon. Ningguang's lavish bedroom took on the ashy-grey of before-dawn, dulling the extravagant whites, golds, and fine imported maple. After such an active – and late – evening, Beidou was glad Ningguang had seen sense to switch her curtains to something thicker, to better keep out the early morning light when they were sure to still require rest.
Later in the day they could draw said curtains, allow the light in, and let it bathe over them as they laid on the bed and watched it create light-crystals on the ceiling through the bejewelled drapes hanging over the bed like a canopy.
Again, the usually brash woman sighed in her sleep and squeezed her arm so gently around Ningguang's waist. The Tianquan murmured, and allowed herself to be tucked closer under Beidou's chin. The mixed spice of cinnamon and coconut filled her head, forcing a smile out on the brunette's lips. She pressed her nose tighter to Ningguang's hair, legs tangling under the sheets.
It was in moments like these that Beidou's soul felt as close to peace as she'd ever known. Most of her daily life was filled with such excitement and adrenaline that taking her time and enjoying it was a rarity. Her few days with Ningguang here and there were a sweet reprieve. They gave her a chance to recharge and left her ready to face the storms and demons of the deep through her next multi-month voyage.
Although her days with Ningguang acted like a recharge for her, she would never settle down away from the seas. The Jade Chamber was more similar to being out at sea on the Alcor, but it still was not quite the same. Beidou could not remember the last time she felt comfortable on land, but suspected it might have been when she was still but a girl. As an adult, land was land and always felt to her foreign. Like a fresh lamb taking its first steps. On deck her motions were fluid as the waves, swaying and rocking with their rhythm. She was one with her vessel. On land Beidou had no bearing; the ground beneath her feet far firmer and more sure than she knew. More than once Ningguang had laughed at her expense, watching her stumble and reach for purchase lest she topple and knock out a tooth.
The only thing she had been able to find as a salve for the instability of her feet on land was intoxication. Beer, wine, ale. Any and all of it. The wooziness induced from alcohol consumption brought Beidou a similar sense of moving on deck, and while her words slurred, her mind was clear and she was free of worry for her lack of land legs.
Ningguang liked to appear more put-together in public, although it was not entirely to do with her being Tianquan. She had a high sense of herself, not altogether narcissistic, and did not usually enjoy letting herself go in the same way. When they were out in the harbour together, Ningguang often sipped her wine, smiling behind her golden fan as Beidou's boisterous laughter boomed. She often drank with the likes of Kaeya and Rosaria of Mondstadt. To varying degrees the three of them had similar personalities, so it made sense. Unfortunately for Ningguang that could be cause for a headache at times. One Beidou was tricky enough to manage; three was nigh impossible.
While Ningguang was still deeply asleep, the captain of the Alcor behind her was close to waking. Having Ningguang's fragrant perfume invading her nostrils was a big factor in that. Grunting softly in her sleep, Beidou squinted her eyes tighter, giving Ningguang's slender waist yet another squeeze. She sighed heavily, utterly comfortable and content. Her good eye blinked slowly open, and she glanced towards the ceiling. There were still deep shadows lingering in her partner's private chamber, and she smiled to herself.
Not even thinking about her actions, Beidou pushed up on her elbow to lean forward. She pressed her lips so softly against Ningguang's cheek – who hummed lightly – and carefully pulled back to sit up. The sheets which had covered her slipped down to her waist, leaving her torso naked in the dim room. Biting back the yawn teasing at her lips, Beidou stretched her arms up above her head, the motion arching her back and pushing her breasts forward.
Relaxing again, Beidou looked down at Ningguang's sleeping face. A few strands of her snow-white hair slipped free of the large braid, and the corsair brushed them back behind her ear.
Silent as possible, she crept out from the covers and stood next to the large bed. Beidou had dropped a satchel nearby the night before – before their evening excitement – into which she'd packed some changes of clothes and other necessities. Her partner may have preferred her in the same luxuriously silky fabrics as herself, but Beidou was in some ways a simple woman. She liked the light feel of linen on her skin. It was good for the heat, and dried very quickly. When she was at sea, Beidou slept in linen tunics. With Ningguang she often slept in nothing. Sometimes she'd borrow a slip from her partner, after much convincing just to let the other woman feel a sense of victory. Most of the time, however, Beidou just slept in a tunic-like shirt that fit a little close to the body, with underwear. She was told it was made with Bamboo fibre by the merchant in Inazuma from whom she purchased it. Since the Jade Chamber floated at such an altitude, it often got windy and could be quite chilly, although the Tianquan insisted on temperature control throughout every room.
Picking up her shirt and underwear, Beidou tiptoed away into the side chamber which served as Ningguang's private bathroom. Inside there was a large bathing tub that could hold four adults comfortably, with an elaborate stove heater underneath for hot water. The whole room was fitted in marble, with black tiles for the splashguard behind the stylishly wide basin. Once the door closed behind her, Beidou sighed and set her folded clothes to the side. She pulled out a soft towel and set it on the edge of the large tub as she waited for the heater to warm the water enough for bathing.
In comfortable silence, Beidou ladled the heated water over her skin, using the soap Ningguang loved most for her – she said it smelled like thunder; a slightly sweet and fresh petrichor – to cleanse her skin. Beidou twisted and pinned up her long tresses, then rinsed the suds away. She felt refreshed, and hummed quietly to herself as she picked up the towel and dried herself, hanging it up afterwards. The brunette slipped into her fresh underwear and shirt, then checked the room to make sure she'd turned off the water heater and drained the dirty water properly.
Before leaving, the tall woman moved to the basin, and stared at her reflection in the ornate mirror above it. She braced her hands on the counter ledge, looking into her right eye. She was so used to not seeing her left eye anymore; it was rarer than her visits with Ningguang. While many on land rumoured about what the cover was for, the story wasn't anything to have interest in, in her opinion. Beidou was the fleet's captain, and while she listened to others and had a kind heart, she was also stubborn and enjoyed taking charge. When need be, or if others hesitated, Beidou was there to step up to the plate and guide everyone. Therefore, she kept her left eye wrapped so when she had to suddenly go below deck, she didn't have to wait for her eyes to focus: her left eye stayed in darkness, so she could lead with that. Her right eye remained uncovered for the time she spent on deck or in otherwise well-lit areas.
Even at times like this, when she visited Ningguang, the corsair kept the habit. The lighting in the bathing chamber was dim, but not dark enough to necessitate switching her vision.
A smirk split her lips, and Beidou's characteristic confidence shone through. She had plans for her next voyage already, and hoped the trinkets she brought would be satisfying to the Tianquan.
The captain left her hair pinned and out of the way, tiptoeing back into Ningguang's main sleeping quarters. Her silken tresses were still gently fanned out against the plush pillow, bringing a smile to Beidou's lips. She stopped at the foot of the bed and watched in silence, enjoying the look of pure relaxation on her partner's face. In her sleep, Ningguang shifted, the slightest look of distaste crossing the immaculate features that Beidou adored so strongly. Without a word, Beidou crept to her side of the bed and slipped back under the covers. Her arm snaked around Ningguang's waist, tucking the slender woman into her front side, before she pressed soft, open-mouth kisses over the curve of one shoulder.
Against her, Ningguang calmed, releasing a sigh into the early morning. "Bei…" she whispered, so soft that even curled behind her, the corsair nearly missed it. Beidou gave the taller woman a squeeze, prompting the Tianquan to rouse just enough to be coherent.
"You bathed…"
"Mm-hm," Beidou hummed, nosing behind Ningguang's ear.
"Do you have to go?"
Behind her, Beidou shook her head, laying her palm flat on Ningguang's firm stomach, gliding it up along her skin to rest over her breast. "Do you have to work?" the brunette asked, scraping her teeth over the shell of Ninngguang's ear. The slender woman held her breath, attempting to not give in. "N-no," she answered, and Beidou felt Ningguang's hand cup hers on her breast.
In the quiet grey, Ningguang rolled over to face her, then went a step further and sat up on Beidou's lap, thighs firmly hugging her hips. Ninngguang's braided hair pooled over her shoulder as she leaned down, hands sliding along her arms until they stopped at her hands, linking their fingers. Beidou was enraptured, and stared up in awe simmering with desire. "Ning?"
"When will you be back?"
Beidou hesitated, partially caught off-guard and trying to get her thoughts in order to find the answer. Ningguang was deliciously distracting, especially poised on her as she was. "I can't be sure, but I hope to be back for next year's Lantern Rite. It's important for the crew."
Ningguang's head dipped in a nod, and then her face came closer so that she could press a searing kiss to Beidou's lips. The sensitive skin burned, and Beidou moaned, squeezing their clasped hands. "I want to have you here for a while longer. We'll go down to the Harbor later."
Even if she wanted to protest, right now Ningguang had all the authority and control. As much as Beidou loved to get on her nerves – and oh, did she – when Ningguang was like this she was stunning, and the corsair was powerless. For now, it seemed that the Tianquan had something in mind, and Uncrowned Lord or not, Beidou would let her have her way. The Lantern Rite was some six months away, and while their relationship remained nameless, she knew her Lady would miss her for the entirety of her absence.