Herbalists' Cache hoof cache

star eater's breath trembles, caught somewhere between longing and restraint. his mouth against her neck, his teeth dragging so carefully along her skin—it draws from her a shiver, not of fear, but of something dangerously close to need.
but she shakes her head, slow at first, then firmer. i am... the words feel fragile, like spun glass. i am a faithful wife.
she says it aloud, to remind herself as much as him.
and yet...
you want me? it slips from her like a child's secret, soft and unsure, that glimmer of yearning he alone seems able to pull from her. the part of her that has always craved more. that has always craved him.
but still, she presses her brow to his, holding him there, keeping him still. her belly shifts between them—rounded, heavy with sun eater's children. it is grounding. sobering.
not... she breathes, voice low, hesitant as her gaze flicks over his shoulder, wary of shadows. sun eater... he will be leaving soon. somewhere far, to carry out his vengeance.
her lips press into a thin line, her eyes searching his face, as if the answer lies there, as if he might give her permission to feel what she should not.
and still, her body leans into his, savoring this stolen moment. for now.