(moved her from the Renovating Cygna thread)
Cygna turns to look at Hiems, a look of surprise on her face. [color=red]"Moja ljubov', I'm not what I was when I was a child. I'm not the kind of woman who would take any man into her bed. And I know that's not what you meant, I'm just saying. I haven't been with a man since before Adorjan was killed, and in all that time, there's only one I've ever wanted to." She steps closer, suddenly looking shy and nervous, and places a hand on his chest. [color=red]"But do you mean what you say, about helping me?" She hesitates for a second, then kisses him longly.
[color=red]"I would never make a fool of you, Hiems. To this day, I cannot understand how Madame could do what she did." She shakes her head in disbelief. [color=red]"I would never abandon you like that, no matter the cost."
[color=red]"I was afraid. Terrified. It's....not so much the brands themselves, as what they mean...as what I did to earn them. I still fear that people will learn about the brands and think that I am still dedicated to the Princes of Hell. It's a part of myself that shames me deeply." It still seems to be a subject that Cygna is not comfortable talking about.
When I said "Before the Tribunal," I meant the evening preceding the Tribunal, not in front of the gathered Tribunal and all the magi. Basically, Cygna went to Hiems's room in swan form and asked to speak with him. She told him that, at Tribunal, he is likely to hear a lot of rumours about her, people talking about her and what she had done, and she wants him to hear from her own lips what happened. She then turns her back to him and transforms to her human form, in Terminator pose. The first thing he would have noticed is all the scars criss-crossing her back, from years of scourging. She then stands up and turns around him, and quietly explains each of her brands, what she did to earn them and what they represent him. Her voice sounds dead as she does so, as if she's suppressing all her emotions to avoid a possible breakdown. When she's done, she stands there with her head down and almost whispers, [color=red]"Now you know. If you never want to see me again, I'll understand."
I can see this. And Cygna would be sitting next to Hiems, and without thinking, she would take his hand in hers and smile at him.
And yet, Cygna thinks that he's the most beautiful man she's ever known, and she wouldn't be able to keep her hands off of him.
She would be gentle, and considerate, and respectful. She doesn't want to push him too hard. If he does find himself in her bed (or she in his), she won't hide the fact that she wants this so much. But if he's not ready, she will settle for lots of naked making out until he is ready (even if it takes more than one night).
But after they do, she curls up in his arms, and kisses him gently. [color=red]"You know how I feel about you, Hiems. How I've always felt about you. But I know..." She sighs. [color=red]"Part of you still belongs to Her. I know that. And I don't want to replace Her. But I do want to be a part of your life, now and forever. Even if we can't be together all the time, if you still need to be alone from time to time...I'm okay with that. Just please don't be afraid to let me in. I swear to you, moja ljubov', I will never leave. I will never reject you. I will be with you as long as you will have me." She then kisses him tenderly again.
Yeah, it would have been more fulfilling and dramatic if this had happened organically over time, but this actually works too.
And as a total aside: as I was telling JL, if it weren't for Hiems's Lost Love, I can totally see Cygna picking up the True Love virtue with Hiems. I'm a sucker for happy endings.