Title: But Especially Here
Fandom: Kushiel's Legacy
Rating: G
Length: 300
Content notes: Brief mention of canonical humiliation and violence.
Author notes: For fan_flashworks Challenge #3, "Anywhere But Here". Phèdre and Joscelin go everywhere in the novels, but they always seem happiest at home, so I added a comma to the challenge. "Anywhere, but here". XD
Summary: We had said so many words over the journey we had taken to that place, and our words were always the same.



I have knelt in front of queens and I have knelt in front of slaves. I have knelt before men and I have knelt before gods. In the lowest depths of desperation and anguish, in the highest reaches of ecstasy and love, I have knelt. I have groveled for humiliation, fallen in fear and pain, been thrown down in punishment. I have wept, bled, screamed, and pled on my knees, and I have reveled in every second of it. Ofttimes it seems as though I have spent more of my life on my knees than on my feet, and all of those moments have been a source of pleasure for me, unbidden or unbegged as they may have been.

I have never been more pleased, more relaxed, more satisfied in my heart and in my soul, than I was in that moment. I knelt before a low stone bench in the gardens of Montrève, one hand on the top of Joscelin's boot. He stroked my hair, his strong fingers carding through the heavy sable strands, smoothing the length of it across his thigh. I closed my eyes and rested my head against his knee.

Joscelin settled his hand on my shoulder, his thumb moving gently against the pulse in my throat. I tipped my head to kiss his fingers. Had we been any other pair, perhaps I would have felt it necessary to speak of the emotions welling within me. Truly, there was no need. We had said so many words over the journey we had taken to that place, and our words were always the same. At every crossroad, we chose and chose again.

Love. We chose love. It surrounded us, encircled us. It was always with us, but here, with Joscelin, my consort and heart, I was content.