Chapter Three: Moon, Sun and Stars — Part 3

As she settles herself into the kitchen, Her raw skin senses the miniscule movement of air that is the result of Heath busying herself for Daria’s benefit. Every breeze feels like the slash of a cold knife across her skin, and Daria finds herself smiling at the ghost of a memory slithering haphazard through the synapses of her brain. While the ship slides out to sea, Heath helps Daria to dry off, trading the towel for a warm blanket; Heath settles the woolen cloth over Daria’s shoulders. Heath wraps her friend carefully into the blanket, making sure all Daria’s personal parts a covered, mostly because Daria doesn’t seem to care. She leaves Daria drinking hot pork broth soup from a thermos while she does her best to dry Daria’s hand cropped hair, hair so thin and flat that it is pressed to her head as thin as a sheet of paper.

Heath listens to a coffee pot gurgle and chirp behind her, impatient to fortify herself and her patient with its black elixir, thankful for the solar cell and battery systems and the creature comforts they provide. She’s humming as she works, as if there can be nothing more important than to ensure that Daria’s teeth stop chattering, and her lips get their color back, all the while losing the battle against goose bumps that ripple in waves across Daria’s body every time a dash of air sneaks its way through the blanket. She is still smiling at her memories when her eyes return from a distant past, coming to focus on Heath, who is placing a hot cup of café mocha in her aching hands. The painful creak of her joints causes a different kind of shiver, and her smile curls, causing a proud cluck from Heath, who mistakenly thinks is a sign of gratitude for the warm drink proffered to her. Heath returns to her business of making more food for Daria. When Heath returns and sits on her stool, she has two sandwiches stacked on one plate. Facing Daria, staring at her as if looking at an object of art, she hands Daria a sandwich in exchange for the now empty cup.

The two eat quietly, Daria nibbling at the sandwich, the heat slowly returning to her hands. Heath finds herself staring, and Daria starts to feel uncomfortable. She knows her chest and groin is partially exposed and wonders why Heath is looking only at her face. Then she thinks maybe Heath might be looking at or for something more. Daria stares back at her, and Heath gets embarrassed for a moment, shying away. Daria smiles.

“What is it, sweetie?” Daria asks politely, small pieces of her sandwich disappearing as she waits for the answer.

“You’re pretty.” Heath says.

“Aww, that’s sweet of you to say.” Daria says, adding quietly, “But we all know better.”

“I don’t know better. Your face is strong.” Heath says, and then follows up with. “Don’t mean to be rude.”

Daria’s smile changes to something soft, and she quietly finishes her sandwich. Heath watches as Daria’s knees slowly come together, and for some reason it makes her even more attractive. Heath’s youthful indiscretion causes her to blurt something out unexpected even to her.

“I can swim darn good, ya know.” She says.

Daria looks momentarily confused, and then catches on. “Why Heath, are you trying to say you’ll help me throw anchor next time we need to?”

“I think I am.” Heath says.

“Oh dear.” Daria says. “That is so sweet of you.”

“Uh, gosh.” Heath says.

“You know though, I like cold water and deep dives. I especially like having to be pampered back to health by a sweet little girl like you.” Daria says. “So maybe you could be nice and let me handle the anchors on my own.”

Daria doesn’t mention that the reason Joe had chosen her to move those anchors is because Daria had been an avid member of the Polar Bear Club, and that she had once swum naked across an Olympic pool filled with a slurry of ice for a charity event. At the time she had barely been able to conceal her orgasms. Daria finds herself tired, suddenly, and stands carefully, her knees popping as she slides the blanket over her shoulders and heads back to the cabin she shares with Kevin, ChoCho, and Jynx. Before she knows it, she is asleep, the cold still lingering in her bones. Hours pass as moments, and shortly she feels Kevin slide into bed behind her, his hot skin pressed against hers.

“Heath took watch.” Kevin whispers quietly in her ear, reaching around from behind, pulling her shoulders against his chest.

Daria smiles in her sleep, feeling his hardness pressed against the small of her back. His hands settle against her breasts, his heart is racing. She is comfortably asleep, and Kevin is going to use her. She wants to be used. He bites the back of her neck and she breathes deeply in surprise. The pain he causes her is hers to control, but Kevin knows she is at his mercy, because when she is asleep and submissive, she will say no to nothing. It is why he became her Page, so many years ago. She needed a guard, somebody to keep the crueler souls out of her bed. He took pride in how he chose her courtships, and how he endured her punishment.

He isn’t considerate with Daria as she bends her knees to her chest and he pushes into her. He pushes against her roughly, not gaining entry on the first try. He adjusts and pushes again, pounding her rough enough that he has to hold her shoulders firm with his hand, past the dry and into the wet need that waits just beyond her folds. One hand grips her knee, pulling it against her belly. The other hand has its nails dug into the front of her shoulder, just beginning to draw blood. He pushes deeply into her, the tension causing him pain followed by the slick warmth of success. Once in there will be no slowing, no casual slide to a calm pace. Deep, hard pushes are all Daria will get, and because of her disposition, all she will ever want or need.

A few minutes pass, and his heart races in violent exhale. As always, she has come within moments of the first thrust, her body always primed for more, always taking from Kevin whatever he can give her. She shivers as he shakes, the heat of him burning as it works its way within her, and she let’s him hold her close as he falls asleep, her body shaking in the aftermath. Her acceptance of his aggression, allowing him his full control of their love making, is Daria’s way of apologizing for failing Kevin and ChoCho. When she awakes, she knows she will have to present an equal apology to Paige, and despite the pleasure she will bring Kevin’s second, Daria is not smiling, even as sleep takes her.